The Pac-12 has suspended Oregon State running back Jovan Stevenson for the first half of Saturday's Pac-12 opener at Utah, conference commissioner Larry Scott announced Tuesday.

The punishment is the Pac-12's response to Stevenson's late hit on a defenseless Rainbow Warriors player with 26 seconds left in the first half of the Beavers' 33-14 win on Saturday. At the time, the senior was called for unnecessary roughness during an OSU punt return.

The conference decided to take this action after conducting its weekly review for unsportsmanlike conduct and player safety fouls.

Stevenson, who enjoyed his most successful season to date when he ran for 229 yards in 2011, is listed as the team's third-string tailback on its most recent depth chart. He also backs up wide receiver Victor Bolden Jr. on kickoff returns.